Taliban must fulfil its promises in Afghanistan, says Imran Khan at SCO Summit

Taliban must fulfil its promises that they have made in Afghanistan including a political structure where all ethnic groups are represented, said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, adding that the group must ensure that the country never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists.

Speaking at the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) Summit in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, PM Imran Khan said that a new reality had been established after the Taliban takeover and withdrawal of foreign troops, Dawn reported.

"We will continue to support a stable, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan," he said.

"That all this happened without bloodshed, without civil war, and without a mass exodus of refugees, should be a matter of relief. It is now in the international community's collective interest to ensure that there is no renewed conflict in Afghanistan and the security situation is stabilised," he said

The prime minister said that preventing a humanitarian crisis and an economic meltdown were "equally urgent priorities".

"We must remember that the previous government depended heavily on foreign aid and its removal could lead to economic collapse," he said, adding that now was the moment to stand with the Afghans "firmly and unequivocally".

Prime Minister Imran Khan last month stoked a controversy when he celebrated the Taliban victory in Afghanistan by saying the war-ravaged country has broken the "shackles of slavery".

Pakistan is accused of facilitating the Taliban rebellion which ultimately sprung the group into power in Afghanistan.

A few days back, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that Pakistan has "harboured" members of the Taliban including the terrorists from the proscribed Haqqani network.

He also said Islamabad needs to "line up" with a broad majority of the international community regarding Afghanistan.

Early this month, former Afghan vice president Amrullah Saleh asserted that the Taliban are being micromanaged by Pakistan notorious intelligence agency--the ISI, adding that Islamabad is in charge of the war-ravaged country effectively as a colonial power.

( With inputs from ANI )